Portable computers are small in size, light enough to be carried from place to place, and are usually operated by an internal battery. Portable computers provide displays, hard disk storage and the ability to run main-stream programs. Typically, portable computers are used primarily to provide the function of a complete personal computer (PC). However, portable computers may also be used to expand the storage capacity of a PC by acting as an extra hard disk. This is accomplished by connecting the portable computer to the personal computer via a small computer system interface (SCSI) bus and placing the portable computer into SCSI target mode. SCSI target mode is a mode in which a device accepts and implements SCSI commands.
Although a hard disk is a large storage device, it is also a comparatively slow device. Therefore, when a PC uses a portable computer in SCSI target mode, significant delays may be encountered in accessing information from the portable computer.
Accordingly, what is needed is a system and method for increasing the speed and resource utilization of a computer system in which a PC uses a portable computer in SCSI target mode. The present invention addresses such a need.